01/02/2013

The AsSALT - Follow Up Post #3

A post I wrote up on the first sprinkling of salt on the Boston roads a while back spawned a small series of sorts, and this is our third reader response based post on fighting salt corrosion during the winter. Reader Paul does not have any pictures to accompany his words, but the words should be enough to get your creative juices flowing.

Pack bearings and bottom bracket with waterproof grease. If yours are sealed, check the seals to see if still sealed - sorry for the poor latter tip I´m an old school bearing guy - maybe hack a seal with waterproof plumbers tape after lubricating if you suspect your seals are leaky.

Light coating of grease or wax on components /frame

Repair paint chips before your first salty road trip (steel is painted for a reason - to exclude oxygen). No oxygen = no oxidation (rust). If you care about matched paint and don´t have a paint match use clear coat - remove any rust before you repaint / clear coat.

Move to Jamaica (just joking)

To wash or not wash dilemma- Washing removes salt etc but also removes laboriously applied grease wax and this will have to be redone. Better not to wash UNLESS you can replace grease coatings before the next ride, etc. A quick wipe with a warm soapy cloth is better than a jet wash as the risk of blowing water proof grease, etc. out of bearings is reduced.

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Or just use an aluminum frame. I bought an aluminum frame for this exact reason.

As for components, you have to realize that plastic is becoming more and more common in components. The rollers in my Sram X-4 derailleur have plastic on plastic bushings. The bushings of my Suntour suspension fork are plastic. Plastic won't rust, but it will get worn down fast by sand, salt crystals and other hard particles. Plastic also gets harder and shrinks under the cold. After a single winter, the bushings of my derailleur are scratched as if sanded with a grit 40 sandpaper. The chrome plating on my suspension fork was scratched off by the frozen plastic bushings.